The present invention relates generally to rotatable machinery components, and more particularly to a magnetically supported ring or bearing utilizing magnetic repulsion between rotating and nonrotating parts to increase load capacity of the rotating part.
In conventional gas turbine engine structures, rotating components such as disks or rings must be configured and must include material to withstand centrifugal loading. A disk or ring component must support its self-induced centrifugal stress and that of the centrifugal load of the blades, which results in large disk or ring mass for a given combination of outer radius and rotational speed. Supporting material is therefore used inefficiently and is loaded in tension. Since many materials with high temperature capability and high potential specific strength, notably ceramics, perform better under compressive loading than under tensile loading, the conventional self-supporting disk or ring design does not allow full potential of the materials to be utilized.
According to the invention, centrifugal loads on a ring, disk or like rotatable part can be transferred to non-rotating static structure if tensile stresses in the part induced by centrifugal loading are reduced by radial repulsive forces, as by magnetic repulsion between the part and surrounding static structure. Magnetically compressed rotatable elements according to the invention may be applied to substantially any type of rotating components and assemblies in high-speed turbomachinery, such as turbine engines, pumps, compressors, motors, generators and centrifuges.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved support structure for rotating machinery parts.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a rotating ring, disk or bearing assembly having improved resistance to failure in tension under radial loads.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide magnetic support structure for rotating machinery parts.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide non-selfsupporting rotating turbomachinery parts by magnetically counteracting tensile stress in the parts caused by centrifugal loading.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description of representative embodiments proceeds.